As data storage systems increase in size, the probability that at least some part of the system will become inoperative, for instance by a mass storage device temporarily or permanently failing, increases. On such a failure, the data needs to be restored. Typically, when the data is stored, redundancy is provided, by storing extra data such as one or more parity blocks in the storage system. The extra data enables the failure of the mass storage device to be remedied, by allowing the data on the failed mass storage device to be recovered.
However, an improvement in data recovery performance of the storage system would be advantageous.